Bargain Bead Box Subscription Review – June 2019

Bargain Bead Box is a monthly DIY subscription promising over $40 worth of quality jewelry-making supplies every month.

 My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

About Bargain Bead Box

The Subscription Box: Bargain Bead Box

The Products: Designer quality beads in materials ranging from crystal to glass to semiprecious gemstones, plus metal beads and findings. Bargain Bead Box does not send any plastic beads or seed beads.

The Cost: $17.95

Ships to: US (free), Canada for $3.50, Worldwide for a low cost. Contact Bargain Bead Box for affordable international rates.

Bargain Bead Box June 2019 “Blush” Review

Bargain Bead Box always includes a few clasps and other findings in matching metal tones; this month they were in an antique silver finish. Here’s more about the specific items in the box this month:

There was a letter in the box with some more information on the theme (“Blush”). The back contained a list of the month’s beads.

12 Pieces 10mm Crackle Agate Round Beads

These are a little redder than the other beads in the box, but that’s just a good opportunity for mixing it up a little bit with respect to colors. I’m not sure what they do to get the red color in these, but they didn’t stain the inside of the bag, so they are probably fairly colorfast.

20 Pieces 7.5mm Star Bead Caps

Two things you should know about this subscription: (1) you will get a lot of bead caps, so I encourage you to start working them into your designs, and (2) the metal tone of all the findings in any given box matches (this month was goldtone). These bead caps could work with several different beads in this package, though in my case they’ll probably get used with other items in my stash.

100 Pieces Chinese Crystal Bicone Beads, Light Rose

You’ll also get a lot of Chinese crystal in this subscription. These are pretty basic 4mm bicones and could substitute for something more expensive (like Swarovski or Preciosa) if you’re looking to save a little money. I used some of these in a bracelet.

1m 3mm Steel Rolo Chain

Most of the time, you’ll also get some chain in this subscription. It’s usually plated steel chain, so just keep that in mind – don’t use your regular tools to cut it as they’ll probably get damaged since steel is so hard (on the other hand, it’s very strong!).

4 Pieces 20 x 16mm Flower Medallion Charms

Here are a few coordinating charms. These would go with the crescent pendant (see below) or could also work as part of a bracelet design.

8” Strand 8 x 6mm Electroplated Chinese Crystal Beads, Peach Opal

Here’s some more Chinese crystal. It is half-coated with a color and is a different (rondelle) shape. I like to use these and other beads like them in right angle weave pieces for extra sparkle.

3 Pieces Hook and Eye Clasps

I haven’t used these yet because they were a little large for the projects I did this month. But I can always use more clasps and I do work with a variety of different metal tones, so these will come in handy when I need something a little heavier duty.

2 Pieces 24 x 15mm Manmade Oval Druzy Teardrops

This is actually a type of resin, but they’ve done quite a good job of imitating druzy stones here. The really shiny druzy you see elsewhere has been electroplated to achieve that color. It’s naturally a lot drabber. I think this color is a happy medium.

30 x 16mm Manmade Oval Druzy Pendant

Here is another druzy piece, this time a pendant. The teardrops would make pretty good earrings, while this one is meant to be a pendant. Alternatively, you could put the two drops on either side of this. This one is also manmade.

2 Pieces Chandelier Findings

I like all the circles here and I almost don’t want to use these because of that. Because you’d be expected to hang something from the circles, and then you couldn’t see them as well. Am I strange for thinking about that?Anyway, these will make great earrings someday.

7.5” Strand 8mm Rose Quartz Round Beads

In addition to the earlier agate, we got some rose quartz. There’s usually a decent selection of semiprecious gemstones in this subscription. I used some of these to make a bracelet, which you can see below.

25 Pieces 4-Loop Links

I have a soft spot for links like this (and also the ones with more “cloverleaf” type of appearance). I started attaching jump rings to these and ended up stringing them together with the rondelles, which you can see below.

13.5” Strand 4 x 3mm Freshwater Pearl Button Beads

I think this is a first – freshwater pearls in Bargain Bead Box. I had to use these in my project, of course. The drill holes were big enough to fit a needle through, which was great (I mean like a regular size 12 needle). I would not call these A or even B grade, but they are mostly OK to use and I like the organic look they add to my designs.

93mm Crescent Chandelier Pendant

This thing is really big. You can see it in context in the first picture, with all of the beads together in one shot. I have actually made about a dozen necklaces with findings just like these and I’m a little burned out on that theme, so this one has been set aside for now and hopefully I’ll get back to that style soon.

10” Strand Glass Rondelle Bead, Peach

These are smooth rondelles and I used some of these on eyepins in a linked bracelet with the links up above. I still have plenty left if I want to try something else with them, though.

4” Strand 6mm Rose Quartz Round Beads

Here are some smaller rose quartz beads. I don’t know if this is dyed or natural (you see a lot of both on the market) but it goes really well with the “blush” theme and sometimes it’s nice to have the same thing in different sizes.

50 Pieces 4mm Swirled Rondelle Spacer Beads

There are usually some accent beads and I liked the way they looked in between the rose quartz rounds, so I made a really simple bracelet with them. (And yay, I chose the correct crimp beads for the beading wire I was using, so this bracelet is more secure than what I usually make!)

Sometimes I don’t have a clear plan for items from a bead subscription box and I just kind of play around with the beads and see where they take me. This month, I ended up making three different bracelets, each of which used two items from the box. They are all different styles and could be worn together or separately.

Verdict: I did not calculate a value for Bargain Bead Box, as explained above. The information sheet gives a retail value of about $62 and I can believe that value if you were to go out looking for similar beads to purchase individually. There is definitely enough here to make several pieces of jewelry, too (I mean, above and beyond what I’ve already done). Looking at it another way, you are paying a little over $1 per item since the price is $17.95 and there were 17 items this month. And THAT is a pretty good deal. I had a lot of different ideas for these items and managed to come up with three bracelets just from fiddling around with some of the items from the box.

Please note that no directions are given and you have to supply your own needles, stringing materials, tools, etc.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today?  No, and subscriptions to this box are currently sold out. Join the waitlist here. They do sometimes offer past boxes on their site, and individual items can sometimes be purchased from Bead Box Bargains.

Value Breakdown: At $17.95 for this subscription, you are paying about $1.06 per item.

Check out my past reviews of Bargain Bead Box or see more of our arts and crafts boxes for more great beading, craft supply, and DIY project boxes.

Keep track of your subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

What did you think of the June 2019 Bargain Bead Box?  Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?